Draft-gear carrier.



E. ALLISON.

DRAFT GEAR CARRIER. ARPLICATION FILED APR-13, 1915.

n 0% mm H W 2 n 1% n D J. ALLISON.

DRAFT GEAR CARRIER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1915.

1,%1% 11 1Q Patented 32111.3(),1917.

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W: A R l L1 WITNESSES INVENTOR an r.

JOHN ALLISON, 0E DRAVOSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO PITTSBURGH STEELFOUNDRY COMPANY, OF GLASSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN-SYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

DRAFT-GEAR CARRIER.

Patented Jan. so, for a.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that I, JOHN ALLISON, a resident" of Dravosburg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Draft-Gear Carriers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to draft gear carriers for railway cars, and moreparticularly to cast steel draft gear carriers for cars having woodencenter sills located above the body bolster, although it may be alsoapplied to cars with metal sills.

The object of the invention is to provide a draft gear carrier of thiskind, which can be made of a single integral member employing a minimumamount of metal and thoroughly reinforced and strengthened throughout,so that it is strong and rigid and very light for its strength; onewhich distributesthe strains on the car frame between the end sill,center sills, body bolster and other framework; one which has a rearwardextension from the body bolster in the form of a strong, hollow boxgirder whose rear end portion may be in the same horizontal plane withthe body bolster and is attached to the center sills, so that ittransmits directly the longitudinal pull or thrust and the upward thrustdirectly to the car frame; one which can be adapted for various types ofbody bolster and draft gear; and one which can be inserted into placewithout requiring removal of the trucks.

Other objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part willappear more in detail hereinafter.

The invention comprises the draft gear carrier hereinafter described andclaimed. In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of one form ofdraft gear carrier embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional elevation, of a similar draft gear carrier, the section beingtaken on a plane corresponding to the sectlon line 2-2 in Fig. 1, andshowing a modified form of king pin opening; Fig. 3 is a cross sectionon the line 33, Fig. 2; Fig. 4; is a half cross section on the line M,Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a. half end view showing the support for the movablecarrier bar; Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the connection to thebolster and showing a modification; Fig. 8 is a plan 'view correspondingto Fig. 7 and Fig. 9

is a detail view showing a modification.

The draft gear carrier shown in the drawings is a hollow cast metalmember formed of a single piece of metal and having many of thecharacteristics of a box girder, so that it is exceedingly strong andrigid and yet is of minimum weight. The front portion of said carrierhas two opposite vertical side walls or members 1 which are spaced apartto receive the draft gear, not shown, but which may be of any suitabletype. If the draft gear is of the usual spring and follower plateconstruction the side walls 11 of the carrier are preferably provided ontheir inner faces with inwardly projectin lugs or ribs 2 for guiding thesprings and maintaining them in central position in the carrier. In sometypes of draft gear laterally extending spring supporting devices areutilized, and to accommodate such gears the side walls 1 may be providedwith central openings 8, so that the gear supporting members may extendthrough or outside of the side walls or members of the draft carrier.The side walls may also be provided with downwardly extending integralpockets 3 to receive transverse gear supporting bars 4. Said walls arealso provided with inwardly extending portions 5 for confining the frontandrear follower plates, as is usual, and said inwardly extending wallsmay be provided with depending pockets 6 for receivin the longitudinalgear sup porting bars The follower plates are confined against upwardmovement in the draft gear carrier by inwardly extending horizontalwalls or flanges 9, which form a housing for the draft gear andpartially inclosethe same. These horizontal walls, at or near theirfront ends, are connected by an integral transverse member 10, whichforms a cross connection between the side members of the carrier andreinforces and strengthens the same. Particularly when the draft gearpocket is long the resistance to spreading of the side arms or members 1may be further increased by one or more supplemental 40 receiving thetransverse draft gear carrierto be inserted from beneath withoutremoving the trucks, the front wall of the transverse member 10 may beinclined forwardly and downwardly, as shown at 12, the end sill 11 beingbeveled to correspond. When the draft gear carrier is pushed up intoplace over the body bolster thetransverse member wedges in behind theend sill and is therefore very solidly connected to the car frame. Thesame effect can also be obtained without resorting to an inclined wallor beveling the end sill by'inserting a shim 13 between the end sill andtransverse member 10 after the draft gear '%arrie)r is pushed intoplace, as shown in The draft gear carrier is also arranged to transmitpulling strains to .and receive bufling strains .from the usual endbulfer 14, located in advance of the center sill 11.

This end buffer is shown as an integral portion of the draft gearcarrier itself, so that it forms an additional strengthening cross tie,but it may be a separate member riveted or bolted-thereto and to the endsill, as at 14, in Fig. 9. In this case the side--members 1 of the draftvided with vertical shoulders 15 lying behind the end bufler.Consequently, in both forms of carrier 'buflingshocks are transmitteddirectly from the end buffer to the carrier and distributed to the carframe, as

. will 'be readily understood. I

The frontportions of the sidewalls 1 of the carrier'are somewhat closertogether than those portions opposite the spring pocket therebetween, asis usual. These" portions of the side walls maybe provided withlongitudinal slots or'o enings 16 for dra t gear keys for securing thedraw bar to the draft gear. Also, near their front ends the side wallsor members 1 of the draft gear carrier are provided with longitudinallyspaced, inwardly 5 extending integral brackets 17 to receive a' suitableswinging support for, the movable 'carrier bar. As shown, this supportis a transverse bar- 18 having bifurcated hookshaped'end members 19carried by the lower cross bar 20 ofan I-shaped link 21 having uppercross bar 22 fitting in the brackets 17 from side to side with thecarrier bar bu prevents it from dropping down.

This draft gear carrier is intended particularly for use with carsembodying the usual wooden center sills, such as indicated at 23. Theupper horizontal walls 9-of members '1 are therefore provided with upe0wardlgextending parallel vertical flanges 24 provi zontal The a rearwardextension 25, which is d,with openings for receiving horibolts passingthrough the center sills.

. bolster provided with gear carrier are pro-.

The cross bar 18 .is thus capable of swinging draft gear carrier is alsoprovided with c v generally of theform of a hollow box girder, narrowerthan the front portion of the carrier, I i

so that it fits between the two wooden center sills and whose side walls26 are continuations of the walls 24. These side walls 26 are alsoprovided with horizontal bolt holes for attaching the carrier to thecenter sills, said side walls being connected by upper and lower crosswebs or members 27 and 28. v

It curves upwardly from the spring pocket to a position above the bodybolster, and be-.

extending horizontal flanges 30 having bolt holes for securing them tothe bottom faces of the center sills, and said horizontal flanges mayalso have portions 31 above the body orbolting them thereto- Bolt holes33 may also be provided in the horizontal portion of the rearwardextension above the body bolster. Consequently, the draft gear carriermay be very firmly and rigidly secured both to the center sills and bodybolster.

The upper and lower horizontal walls of the rearward extension, abovethe body bolster, are preferably also provided with alined openings 34for receiving thev king pin, and if desired, these openings may beoblong or elongated, asat 34, Fig. 2, to adapt the carrier for diiferenttypes of body bolster and for different distances between the bodybolster and the end of the car. For. example, Figs. 2 and'6 indicaterespectively at 29 and 36 the upper plates of two different forms ofbody bolster, 'andhaving openings for the king pin at opposite endsopenings for riveting of the elongated openings 34. In Fig. 2 the i canbe utilized for transmitting the thrust of the draft gear carrier to anarrower bolster, and hold the bolster in the proper-position forreceiving the king pin. By properly locating these lugs the 'carriermaybe adapted for any type of body bolster, and may be subsequentlyadapted'for a wider bolster by chipping off or otherwise removing firstone set and then the other set of said lugs.

The rear end carrier is provided with a transversely exportionof thedraft geartending vertical web portion 41 connecting its side walls. Therear end portion 42 of the upper horizontal wall of said member may beriveted or otherwise secured to a suitable transverse member 43 lyingunder and secured to the center sills 23. Consequently, the upwardthrust of the rear end of the draft gear carrier is transmitted to thecenter sills. The vertical web 41 may be taken advantage of fortransmitting the longitudinal thrust of the draft gear carrier to thecenter sills, by making the transverse member 43 an angle iron or Z-barwhose vertical web receives the thrust from the web 41 and allslo abutsblocks 23 fastened to the center si s.

The rear extension of the draft gear carrier is open on its bottom, itsside walls being connected at the bottom only by the transverse member28 near the spring pocket and also above the body bolster, the bottomopenings therein providing access to the interior of the carrier forfastening attachments thereto. Beyond the body bolster the downwardlyextending rear end portion of the carrier may also be provided withhorizontal outwardly extending flanges 44 for atltiachment to the lowerfaces of the center s1 s.

To adapt the carrier for use with steel center sills which do not extendthe full length of the car the side walls of the rearward extension mayalso be provided on their outer faces with lugs or projections 50forming vertical shoulders to abut the ends of said sills and transmitlongitudinal strains thereto.

This draft gear carrier is very light for its strength and consequentlycan be made at comparatively low cost. It has all the usual functions ofdraft gear carriers and in addition distributes the strain over theentire car frame so that the wear and tear thereon is reduced. It may belifted into place from beneath without removing the car trucks, bypushing the rearward extension up over the body bolster and after it hasbeen pushed fully back, lifting the frontportion of the draft gearcarrier and securing it to the center-sills. Consequently repairs andreplacements are readily effected without special equipment. The draftgear carrier also may be adapted for any style of car or any type ofdraft gear.

It will, of course, be understood that the invention is not limited tothe precise form of carrier shown in the drawings, but admits ofconsiderable modification within the scope of the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A draft gear carrier, comprising side members spaced to receive thedraft gear therebetween, and a rearward extension 1ntegral with saidside members and extending over and beyond the body bolster, the rearend of said extension being in substantially the same horizontal planeas the body ately ad acent the top edges of the follower plates andforming the upper guide for said follower plates and serving as ahousing inclosing and protecting the same.

3. A draft gear carrier, comprising inte gral side members spaced toreceive the draft gear therebetween, said side members being providedwith inwardly extending horizontal flanges forming a top guide for thefollower plates, in combination with removable horizontal bars formingthe lower guide for said follower plates.

4. A draft gear carrier, comprising integrally connected side membersspaced to receive the draft gear therebetween, longitudinally extendingbars directly supporting the draft gear, and integral depending bracketmembers on the lower portions of said side members having openings forreceiving said longitudinal gear supporting bars.

5. A draft gear carrier, comprising integrally connected side membersspaced to receive the draft gear therebetween and provided in thehorizontal axial plane of the draft gear with openings to receivetransversely extending spring carrying devices.

6. A draft gear carrier having at one end side members spaced to receivethe draft gear therebetween and provided with a rearwardly extendingintegral hollow member passing up over and downwardly beyond the bodybolster, said member lying between the center sills.

7. A draft gear carrier, comprising integrally connected members spacedto receive the draft gear therebetween, and a rearwardly projectinghollow extension lying between the center sills and passing over andbeyond the body bolster, said side members and the side walls of therearward extension being arranged for attachment to the center sills.

8. A draft gear carrier, comprising inte grally connected side membersspaced to receive the draft gear therebetween, and a rearwardlyprojecting hollowextension passing over and beyond the body bolster,said carrier and its extensions being provided with horizontal flangesfor attachment to the bottom surfaces of the center sills.

9. A draft gear carrier, comprising integrally connected side membersspaced to re- Al oa A ceive the draft gear therebetween, a rear- Wardlyprojecting hollow extension passing above and beyond the body bolster,the upper and lower horizontal members of said extension above the bodybolster being provided with elongated openings for adjustably receivingthe king pin.

'10. A draft gear carrier, comprising integrally connected side membersspaced to receive the draft gear therebetween, a rearwardly projectinghollow extension passing above the body bolster, the lower wall of saidextension being provided with transversely extending shoulders arrangedto abut the body bolster, and projections on the lower face of theextension between said shoulders and forming shoulders for a narrow bodybolster.

11. A draft gear carrier, comprising integrally connected side membersspaced to re- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

' JOHN ALLISON. Witnesses:

ELBERT L. HYDE, GLENN H. LERESCH'E.

